Ice tray



ICE TRAY Karl Federmann, Hanau, Heinz Claude, Mannheim- Feudenheim, andRichard Ritter and Theophil Pfeffer, Esslingen (Neckar), Germany,assignors to Heinrich Ritter Alnrnininmwarenfahrilr, Esslingen (Neckar),Germany Application March 11, 1955, Serial No. 493,752

Claims priority, application Germany March 18, 1954 8 Claims. (Cl.62-108.5)

The present invention relates to improvements in reA movable ice traysfor refrigerators.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide aremovable ice tray for a refrigerator and a removable insert for suchice tray which partitions the ice formed in such tray into small pieces.

Prior to this invention, various kinds of gridlike ice tray inserts havebeen known which were provided with rectangular partitions to form icecubes. Other gridlike ice tray inserts consisted of zigzag-shaped metalstrips which were secured at their apices to straight metal stripsextending longitudinally of the tray. Such gridlike inserts in which thepartitions are alwayspositioned vertically to the bottom of the trayhave the disadvantage that, as long as the ice is frozen to the walls ofthe tray, considerable force is required to pry them loose from the iceand to lift them out of the tray, thereby easily deforming thempermanently. Also, even after removing the insert with the ice cubes orice pieces from the tray, it is difficult to remove them from theindividual partitions of the insert, even though these partitions may bemoveable relative to each other, since they can only exert a pressureupon the ice cubes which is directed substantially vertically to theirouter surfaces.

There are other ice tray inserts known which consist of severalpartitions or strips of corrugated metal which are separated from eachother by at least one straight longitudinal strip and are alternatelyinclined in different directions to the horizontal plane.

In one design of this type of insert, known, for exi ample, from theGerman Patent No. 633,685, the corrugated strips may be inserted intothe tray without being connected to the longitudinal strips, andprovided with hooks on their free upper ends to engage with the frontand rear edges of the tray, thereby stretching the corrugated resilientstrips. For removing the ice pieces, the corrugated strips are liftedout of the tray individually, and at the same time stretched in theirlongitudinal direction. When doing so, as the result of the wedgingaction of the corrugations stretching themselves, the layer of ice whichis subdivided and located on the upper side of the corrugated strips, isbroken otf the longitudinal strips and the walls of the tray. Althoughrelatively little force is required for such removal, the corrugatedstrips are easily damaged by being stretched too far, and by thusbecoming permanently deformed. Furthermore, as the device consists of aplurality of separate loose parts which have to be inserted and properlytted, its operation is unduly complicated and parts thereof may beeasily lost.

In still another tray insert of this general type, as disclosed by theUnited States Patent No. 2,466,747, the corrugated strips are connectedwith each other at their upper apices above the longitudinal strips, andtheir lower apices are guided by pins or the like in slots provided inthe longitudinal strips. The free ends of the corrugated strips extendbeyond the front and rear` edges of the tray, and may be forced upwardlyby cam levers rates Patent l ICC which are pivotally mounted on theoutside of the front and rear walls of the tray. In this kind ofconstruction, the layer of ice lying on the upper side of the corrugatedstrips is broken off merely by pulling up the ends of the corrugatedstrips, that is, without extending the corrugated strips in theirlongitudinal direction, and thus without any lateral wedging or shearingaction 'which facilitates the separation of the ice from the bottom ofthe tray. Thus, for breaking or prying off the ice pieces considerableforces are required which are taken up by the corrugated strips in theform of binding stresses. Since the thin corrugated strips cannottransmit any such large bending stresses, this means that only theirends will be bent upwardly and their central portion remains practicallyinactive. Permanent distortion of the corrugated strips is thuspractically unavoidable unless they be made of hard metal ofconsiderable thickness and weight.

It is now one of the objects of the present invention to provide a trayinsert which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior inserts asdescribed above. More specically, it is an object of the invention toprovide a tray insert which requires very little force for breaking ottthe ice and removing the ice pieces from the tray without danger ofthereby permanently distorting or damaging any parts of the insert orthe tray.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tray insertwhich overcomes the disadvantages of the prior inserts as describedabove. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide atray insert which requires very little force for breaking olf the iceand removing the ice pieces from the tray without danger of therebypermanently distorting or damaging any parts of the insert or the tray.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tray insertwhich, rather than constituting a plurality of separate elements to beassembled in the ice tray, is designed so as to form a single unit.

The insert according to the present invention also belongs to the typeusing corrugated or `Zig-zag-shaped strip. However, these strips arepermanently interconnected at their front and rear ends, and provided atleast at one end with a lever which is mounted on one or more straightlongtiudinal connecting strips so as to be pivotable within a planeextending vertically to the tray bottom. Thus, when pivoting the leverupwardly and outwardly, the zig-zag strips are being extended orstretched in their longitudinal direction.

Except for the fact that the insert should tit reasonably well into thetray, and that the lever for lifting the insert should act upon theadjacent upper edge of the tray, or at least upon a small centralportion thereof, and thus requires such edge or point thereof to be at acertain level relative to the level of the insert when placed in thetray, no additional provisions have to be made on the tray. Very littleforce is required to break off the ice pieces from the walls and thebottom of the tray since the corrugated or zigzag strips when beingentended or stretched exert a lateral wedging or shearing er .ct uponthe ice pieces, the force of breaking oj the ice pieces thus beingdistributed and applied upon the ice pieces in several directions.

In order to prevent the corrugations of the tray insert from beingexcessively extended so that they will no longer lit into the tray, itis another feature of the invention that the lifting lever engages witha suitable stop so as to prevent it from pivoting beyond a certainpoint.

Another important feature of theinvention resides in providing thestraight longitudinal partitions at their lower edges which are adaptedto rest upon the bottom of the tray with outwardly directed projectionswhich engage underneath the ice and grip it from below to break theindividual ice pieces from the bottom of the tray. These projections mayalso serve as stops for properly locating the lower apices of thecorrugated strips or partitions and for preventing them from being bentand deformed when being inserted into the tray.

Also, the lever for extending the corrugated strips is preferablyprovided with a nose which, when the lever is being pivoted, will engagewith the adjacent front edge of the tray, thus permitting the entireinsert to be lifted or pivoted about the lower opposite end of thestraight partitions.

These and additional objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be further illustrated in the following detaileddescription thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. l shows a longitudinal section through an ice tray completelyassembled and ready for freezing ice pieces therein;

Fig. 2 shows a View similar to Fig. l with the lever pivoted upwardly tobreak off the ice pieces;

Fig. 3 shows a top view upon the ice tray as shown in Fi l;

fig. 4 shows a cross section taken along line lV-lV of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 shows a view similar to Fig. l with an insert designed accordingto a modification of the invention; while Fig. 6 shows a view similar toFig. 2 with an insert as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the ice tray l is made substantially of theconventional shape with its outer walls inclined slightly outwardly. Theice tray insert consists in both embodiments of the invention shown inthe drawings of two straight longitudinal partitions 2 and threecorrugated or zigzag-shaped strips 3 intermediate the partitions 2 andalso extending in the longitudinal direction of the tray but alternatelyinclined in opposite directions to a horizontal plane. Also in bothembodiments the two outer, upwardly directed ends of the zigzag strips 3are bent around, and are thus secured to, transverse pins 4tand 5.

ln the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. l to 4, the twopins d and 5 pass through the intermediate partitions 2, with the rearpin 4 passing through a round hole of similar diameter, and the frontpin 5 passing through an elongated longitudinal slot 6 in each of thestraight partitions 2. A lever 7 serving as a handle for severing theinsert and ice pieces from tray l is pivotally mounted on the pin Sintermediate the two straight par titions 2. The lever 7 which ispreferably pressed out of sheet metal has an outer nose 8 which, whenthe insert is placed into tray l, projects over the rear edge lt? oftray l.. Lever 7 is also provided at its lower end with two parallelears 9 serving as a bearing and provided with cam portions 9 which areadapted to cooperate with stops lll on the straight partitions 2. Theupper front edge of tray l shown at the right of Figs. l and 2 ispreferably made slightly wider than the other edges so as to serve as ahandle for inserting the tray into the refrigerator or removing ittherefrom.

The lower edge of the straight longitudinal strips or partitions 2 isprovided with narrow lateral projections 12 produced by cutting outthese strips accordingly and then bending the projecting portionsalternately in opposite directions at right angles to the surface of thestrips 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. These lateral projections l2,which cooperate with the corrugations of strips 3 in their relativemovement to exert a lateral or shearing action upon the ice pieces forbreaking them off the bottom of the tray and then lifting themtherefrom, also serve as supports for the corrugated strips 3, the lowerapices of the corrugations being adapted to rest upon these projectionsso as to prevent the strips 3 from bending downwardly andfrom beingdeformed thereby.

In the position shown in Fig. l, the lever 7 is pivoted downwardly overthe tray, ready to be tilled with water and to be placed in the freezingcompartment of the refrigerator. Under the inherent tension of thecorrugated strips 3, the pin 5 is then drawn backwardly and against theinner end of the slots 6 in the straight partitions 2. Then, when theice pieces are to be broken loose and to be removed from the tray, lever7 is pivoted to the position shown in Fig. 2. ln doing so, the camportions 9 of lever 7 slide along the stops 11 on the straightpartitions 2, thereby shifting the pin 5 together with the ends of thecorrugated strips 3 to the outer end of the slots 6. Thereby thecorrugated strips 3 are extended or stretched in longitudinal directionand exert with their inclined surfaces a lateral wedging or shearingeffect upon the ice layer lying on the upper side of the strips 3, so asto break them loose from the straight partitions 2 and the walls oftray 1. The pivotal movement of lever 7 and the length to which thecorrugated strips 3 may be extended is limited by the pin 5 abuttingagainst the outer end or" the elongated slots 6 in the straightpartitions 2. Thus, the danger of unduly extending the corrugated strips3 and thereby damaging them permanently is completely avoided.

While thus pivoting the lever 7 upwardly to extend the corrugated strips3, the nose on lever '7 engages with the upper edge 10 of the tray lland exerts a leverage action upon the entire insert to lift the same.The lateral projections 12 on the lower edges of the straight partitions2 then act upon the lower surface of the individual ice pieces in thelower compartments formed by the individual corrugations of the strips 3to break them loose from the tray bottom. Thus, all ice pieces will beloose, although still within their individual compartments of thecorrugated strips 3, when the insert 2 is in the position shown in Fig.2 ready to be removed from the tray ll.

Practical tests have shown that in breaking the ice pieces from thebottom of tray 1, the lateral movement of the corrugated strips 3 andthe narrow projections 12 relative to each other also shatters the icepieces to such an extent as to break olf the thin edge of ice normallyresting on the narrow projections 12 so that these small projectionswill not retain the ice pieces after the entire insert is removed. If,for any reasons, however, these projections 12 be made of greater width,then it is advisable that either only one straight partition 2 beprovided so that the loose broken-off lower ice pieces may be removed bysliding them laterally from the individual substantially triangularcompartments, or, if two straight partitions 2 be provided, that thoseprojections l2 extending toward the longitudinal center of the tray bemade rather narrow or be omitted entirely so that these lower centralice pieces can drop out downwardly. In the modified embodiment of theinvention as shown 1n Figs. 5 and 6, transverse pin 5 which holds oneend of the corrugated strips 3 and is moveable relative to the straightpartitions 2, only passes through the two sides of the lever 7 whichforms the bearings thereof. For pivot-.

ally securing the lever 7 to the straight partitions 2, a separate pini9 connects lever 7 with partitions 2 or each ear 9 of the lever 7 ofthis modified embodiment also has a nose 8 which is designed to engagethe upper edge lit of the tray l when lever 7 is raised to break olf theice pieces.

When thus pivoting lever 7 from the freezing position shown in Fig. 5 tothe removal position shown in Fig. 6, pivot pin 5 is moved outwardly,thereby extending the corrugated strips 3 in longitudinal direction. Atthe same time, the nose 8 engages with the edge 1t) of the tray l,thereby lifting the entire insert and breaking off the ice pieces fromthe bottom and side walls of the tray and the walls of the straightpartitions 2 in the same manner as desribed relative to the embodimentshown in Figs. l to A similar handle 7 may, if desired, also be providedon the other end of the insert. In such event, in the embodi ment shownin Figs. l to 4, an enlongated slot similar to slot 6, as well as stops11, may also be provided at the other end of the straight partitions 2,while in the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, pin 4 would only passthrough the lever 7 above the upper edge `of the straight partitions 2or be replaced by a pair of rivets each pivotally connecting onedownwardly depending ear 9 of the lever 7 with the adjacent straightpartition 2. Also, the lower edges of the straight partitions may thenbe provided with narrow stops 12 at the points where the lower apices ofthe corrugated strips will be located when inserted into the tray, so asto prevent these strips from bending downwardly excessively.

While we have described our invention with reference to the preferredembodiments thereof we wish to have it understood that it is in no waylimited to the details of such embodiments or to the specificillustrations shown, but is capable of numerous modiiications Within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed our invention, what we claim is:

l. For use in an ice tray of a refrigerator or the like, in combination,an elongated partition adapted to be placed in an ice tray, saidelongated partition having a top edge and a bottom edge; an elongated,flexible, resil- `ient corrugated strip extending in a Zig-zag pathbetween said top edge and said bottom edge of said partition from oneend to the other end thereof, so as to form on the side of saidpartition a first series of triangular recesses having each its apexadjacent to the bottom edge of said partition and a second series oftriangular recesses having each its apex adjacent the top edge of saidpartition, said strip being connected adjacent one end to said partitionadjacent an end thereof, saidstrip having a side edge located next to aside surface of said partition and said strip extending away from saidside surface; a plurality of spaced projectio-ns extending substantiallynormal to said partition from said bottom edge thereof; and meanscarried by said partition at an end portion opposite from said one endtherof and operatively connected to said strip for stretching the latterand moving the same with respect to said partition, whereby when saidpartition, strip, and means are mounted in an ice tray and ice formsagainst said strip and said side surface of said partition, the ice canbe separated from said strip and partition by actuating said means tostretch said strip and move the same with respect to said partition. o

2. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottorn wall and a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally therethrough substantially normalto the bottom wall thereof, said partition having a bottom edge adjacentto said bottom wall and a top edge spaced therefrom; at least two stripsformed from a flexible, resilient material, each of said stripsextending in a zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition from one end to the other end thereof respectivelyalong opposite sides of said partition, each of said strips beingconnected at one end to said partition adjacent one end thereof, andeach of said strips having a side edge located respectively next toopposite side surfaces of said partition and said strips extendingrespectively away from said opposite side surfaces; and lever meanspivotally connected to said partition at an end portion opposite fromsaid one end portion thereof and operatively connected to said stripsfor stretching the latter and moving` the same with respect to saidpartition, said lever means having an extension located above said topedge of said container so that upon turning of said lever means saidextension thereof will abut against said top edge of said .container tolift the end portion of said partition opposite from said one endportion thereof relative to the bottom wall of said container wherebywhen said ice tray assembly is placed in a refrigerator and ice formsagainst said strips and said side surfaces of said partition the ice canbe separated from said strips and said partition by actuating said meansto stretch said strips and move the same with respect to said partition.

3. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottom wall; at least one partitionloosely mounted in said `container and extending longitudinallytherethrough substantially normal to said bottom wall thereof and havinga bottom edge adjacent to said bottom wall of said container and a topedge spaced therefrom; at least two strips formed from flexible,resilient material and respectively extending in a zig-zag path betweensaid top edge and said bottom edge of said partition substantiallynormal to and along opposite sides of said partition from one end to4the other end thereof, so as to form on each side of said partitionwall a first series of triangular recesses having each its apex adjacentto the bottom wall of said container, and a second series of triangularrecesses each being located between adjacent recesses of said firstseries of triangular recesses and having each its apex spaced from saidbottom wall of said container; pivot means for pivotally connecting oneend of each of said strips to said one end of said partition wall; andmeans operatively connected to said other end of said partition and tothe other end of each of said strips for lifting said other end of saidpartition wall relative to said container and for moving said other endof each of said strips respectively away from said one end thereof.

4. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottom wall and a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally theerthrough substantially normalto said bottom wall thereof and having a bottom edge adjacent to saidbottom wall of said container and a top edge spaced therefrom; at leasttwo strips formed from flexible, resilient material and respectivelyextending in a zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition substantially normal to and along opposite sides ofsaid partition from one end to the other end thereof, so as to form oneach side of said partition wall a first series of triangular recesseshaving each its apex adjacent to the bottom wall of said container, anda second series of triangular recesses each being located betweenadjacent recesses of said first series of triangular recesses and havingeach its apex spaced from said bottom wall of said container; pivotmeans for pivotally connecting one end of each of said strips to saidone end of said partition wall; and lever means pivotally connected tosaid other end of said partition and operatively connected to the otherend of each of said strips, said lever means having an extension locatedabove said top edge of said container lso that upon turning of saidlever means said extensions thereof will abut against said top edge ofsaid container for lifting said other end of said partition wallrelative to said container and for moving said other end o-f each ofsaid strips respectively away from said one end thereof.

5. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped Acontainer having a bottom wall and a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally therethrough substantially normalto said bottom wall thereof and having a bottom edge adjacent to saidbottom wall of said container and a top edge spaced therefrom; at leasttwo strips formed from iiexible, resilient material and respectivelyextending in a zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition substantially normal to and along opposite sides ofsaid partition from one end to the other end thereof, so as to form oneach side of said partition wall a first series of triangular recesseshaving each its apex adjacent toithe bottom wall of said container, anda second series of triangular recesses each being located betweenadjacent recesses of said first series of triangular recesses and havingeach itsapex spaced from said bottom wall of said container; a pluralityof spaced projections extending substantially normal to said partitionfrom the bottom edge thereof, said projections being respectivelylocated below the apexes of said first series of triangular recessesrespectively; pivot means for pivotally connecting one end of each ofsaid strips to said one end of said partition wall; and lever meanspivotally connected to said other end of said partition and operativelyconnected to the other end of each of said strips, said lever meanshaving an extension located above said top edge of said container sothat upon turning of said lever means said extensions thereof willabut'against said top edge of said container for lifting said other endof said partition wall relative to said container and for moving saidother end of each of said strips respectively away from said one endthereof.

6. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottom wall and. a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally therethrough substantially normalto said bottom wall thereof and having a bottom edge adjacent to saidbottom wall of said container and a top edge spaced theerfrom; at leasttwo strips formed from flexible, resilient material and respectivelyextending in a Zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition substantially normal to and along opposite sides ofsaid partition from one end to the other end thereof, so as to form oneach side of said partition a first series of triangular recesses havingeach its apex adjacent to the bottom wall of said container, and asecond series of triangular recesses each being located between adjacentrecesses of said first series of triangular recesses and having each itsapex spaced from said bottom wall of said container, each of said stripsbeing fastened on one end thereof to one end of said partition; aplurality of spaced projections extending substantially normal to saidpartition from the bottom edge thereof; and levermeans pivotallyconnected to the other end of said partition and operatively connectedto the other ends of said strips for moving upon turning in successionsaid other end of each of said strips away from said one end thereof andfor lifting said other end of said partition away from said bottom wallof said container.

7. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottom wall and a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally therethrough substantially normalto said bottom wall thereof and having a bottom edge adjacent to saidbottom wall of said container and a top edge spaced therefrom, saidpartition being formed adjacent one end thereof with an elongated holetherethrough extending substantially parallel to and adjacent the topedge thereof and having spaced from said end a distance larger than saidhole an abutting surface projecting laterally therefrom; at least twostrips formed from flexible, resilient material and respectivelyextending in a zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition substantially normal to and along opposite sides ofsaid partition from one end to the other end thereof, so as to form oneach side of said partition a first series of triangular recesses havingeach its apex adjacent to the bottom wall of said container, and asecond series of triangular recesses each being located between adjacentrecesses of said iirst series of triangular recesses and having each itsapex spaced from said bottom wall of said container, each of said stripsbeing fastened on one end thereof to the other end of said partition; aplurality of spaced projections extendingrsubstantially normal to saidpartition from the bottom edge thereof; and lever means pivotallyconnected to said one end of said partition by'means of a pivot pinextending through said elongated hole of said partition and having aface abutting against said abutting face ofv said partition, said levermeans having further an extension located above said top edge of saidcontainer, said lever means being movable from a rest position in whichsaid pivot pin is located at the end of the elongated hole farthestspaced from said one end of said partition and in which said extensionis spaced from said top edge of said container to an operating positionin which said pivot pin is moved to the other end of said elongated holeso that the other end of said strips are moved away from said one endthereof whereby said strips are stretched and in which said extension ofsaid lever means engages said top edge of said container to lift saidone end of said partition away from said bottom wall of said container.

8. An ice tray assembly for a refrigerator comprising, in combination, atrough-shaped container having a bottom wall and a top edge spaced fromsaid bottom wall; at least one partition loosely mounted in saidcontainer and extending longitudinally therethrough substantially normalto said bottom wall thereof and having a bottom edge adjacent to saidbottom wall of said container and a top edge spaced therefrom; at leasttwo strips formed from flexible, resilient material and respectivelyextending in a zig-zag path between said top edge and said bottom edgeof said partition substantially normal to and along opposite sides ofsaid partition from one end to the other end thereof, so as to form oneach side of said partition a first series of triangular recesses havingeach its apex adjacent to the bottom wall of said container, and asecond series of triangular recesses each being located between adjacentrecesses of said rst series of triangularv recesses and having each itsapex spaced from said bottom wall of said container, each of said stripsbeing fastened on one end thereof to one end of said partition; aplurality of spaced projections extending substantially normal to saidpartition from the bottom edge thereof; and lever means pivotallyconnected to the other end of said partition adjacent the top edgethereof and the other ends of said strips being respectively connectedto said lever means at a point spaced from said other end of saidpartition farther than the pivotal connection between said lever meansand said partition, said lever means having an extension located abovesaid top edge of said container so that upon turning of said lever meanssaid other ends of said strips will be moved away from said one endthereof whereby the strips are stretched and said extension of saidlever will abut against the top edge of said container so that saidother end of said partition will be lifted relative to the bottom wallof said container.

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